Most people forget about their home heating system when winter is over as they start to enjoy their summer. However, summer is the ideal time of the year to give your heating system more thought about updating it. Once you're ready to replace or upgrade the heating system in your home, it's time to decide which system could be more suitable for you: a furnace or boiler. The following is an insight into the two systems to help you make an informed decision.
What Is a Furnace?
A furnace heats the air and distributes the warm air in the entire house with the help of air ducts and a blower motor.
Furnace Pros
- Furnaces are more common than boilers because they are more affordable. Even emergency furnace repair is also relatively less costly compared to boilers.
- The leak hazard isn't as severe as boilers because air leakage can't cause as much damage as water leakage.
- As opposed to boilers, where the heating pipes can freeze and burst, if the temperatures get too low, furnaces don't have such risks as there is no water to freeze.
- Furnaces are easier to install unlike boilers, and you can get affordable furnace repair services in Pittsburgh, PA.
Furnace Cons
- Furnace heating is less efficient as it consumes more fuel more quickly compared to a boiler.
- Furnaces produce a lot of noise as they blow air.
- The heat distributed may not be consistent as the air is forced. Some rooms may be hotter or cooler than others.
- The air quality is also affected as the blowing of hot air also spreads allergens and dust.
What Is a Boiler?
A boiler is a closed tank used to heat water under pressure to provide steam or hot water for heating. After the water turns into steam or hot water, it moves through pipes to the entire house or building with the help of radiators, providing heat in the entire house.
Boiler Pros
Generally, boilers are more energy efficient as they use less fuel for heating. This automatically translates to lower energy costs.- They also provide more consistent heating compared to furnaces. With furnaces, some rooms may be too cool or too hot because of forced air.
- With boilers, you'll experience less operational noise as there is no sound of hot air being blown.
- They require less maintenance; for instance, there are no filters to be cleaned.
- With a boiler, you'll experience better air quality since no air is blown to spread allergens.
Boiler Cons
- Boilers are slower to react as they take more time to adjust to temperature changes. This means that it may take longer to feel any temperature changes after turning it up or down.
- They're harder to install compared to furnaces, and the cost of repair is higher compared to electric furnace repair.
- It's difficult or almost impossible to switch from a boiler to a furnace.
- A boiler is susceptible to water damage which could cause damage to your house.
When it comes to choosing between a boiler and a furnace, it all depends on personal needs and preferences. For those with furnaces, you can get cheap furnace repair in Pittsburgh, PA. Also, furnaces are cheaper. However, for energy efficiency, boilers would be the ultimate choice. Regardless of your choice, you can always count on Stahl Plumbing for all your boiler and furnace repair needs in Pittsburgh, PA. Contact us today for more details.